After sustaining damage from a recalled store-bought dye (It was "Clairol - Natural Instincts" but whose naming names? ), I did a search here for info on natural products that might improve the condition of my hair. In doing so I stumbled on and read the 33 page mega thread in this forum called "Experiences with Amla". It has terrific info with a lot of reports on how amla has been a kind of holy grail for many - helped condition hair and counteracted the curl loosening effects of henna. Problem is, that thread (plus the related 36 page spin-off thread) is from 2009! Do any of you ladies have an update on how amla worked out for you in the long run? I would love to hear from any of you who either still use amla, or chose to stop. If you stopped, why? Any experience you can relay would be really helpful

I use amla all the time especially mix with henna. This Ayurvedic powder is excellent for strengthening the hair. Earlier this year, I suffered a bad strain of the flu which weaken my hair. Every two weeks I used amla to bring back my hair to life. Now my hair is very healthy and strong. Usually I mix it with conditioner and oils to help the application on my hair. I hope this helps.

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Sistapopdemcurl, sounds like you've really made amla work for you. About how long have you been using it?

Poema, I think we talked about henna on another thread recently. It's great that it works for you so well and doesn't relax your curl I had one bad experience with it (a migraine was made worse lol), but am still considering matching it with the amla and some indigo. Not quite sure what I want to do anymore Yeah, I hear the amla is really gritty and hard to rinse out  looks like some ppl on that old amla thread tried to remedy that problem by mixing it with coconut milk (have you?). For some it worked, for others it didn't (I think?).

MrsComboCurlz, a question about the online shop: Do you know if their ingredients are strictly organic? I keep reading that ingredients like henna and amla need to have no other additives or you can't go back to using commercial dyes (without ruining your hair). TIA

Sistapopdemcurl, sounds like you've really made amla work for you. About how long have you been using it?

Poema, I think we talked about henna on another thread recently. It's great that it works for you so well and doesn't relax your curl I had one bad experience with it (a migraine was made worse lol), but am still considering matching it with the amla and some indigo. Not quite sure what I want to do anymore Yeah, I hear the amla is really gritty and hard to rinse out  looks like some ppl on that old amla thread tried to remedy that problem by mixing it with coconut milk (have you?). For some it worked, for others it didn't (I think?).

MrsComboCurlz, a question about the online shop: Do you know if their ingredients are strictly organic? I keep reading that ingredients like henna and amla need to have no other additives or you can't go back to using commercial dyes (without ruining your hair). TIA

Originally Posted by Korkscrew

For me Commercial Dyes are a "no no". IMO those are the culprits that ruin hair lol...not Ayurvedic powders. I can attest to it...the Hesh Amla isn't a brand of the online store...the boxed brand can be found in Indian stores etc
The Amla product states that it's 100% Amla Powder (Indian Gooseberry/Embelic Myrobalan) BNB's claims all organic but if you have questions about any other products from the site...you can shoot Sharika an e-mail...she gets right back!

For me Commercial Dyes are a "no no". IMO those are the culprits that ruin hair lol...not Ayurvedic powders. I can attest to it...the Hesh Amla isn't a brand of the online store...the boxed brand can be found in Indian stores etc
The Amla product states that it's 100% Amla Powder (Indian Gooseberry/Embelic Myrobalan) BNB's claims all organic but if you have questions about any other products from the site...you can shoot Sharika an e-mail...she gets right back! Attachment 27996

Originally Posted by MrsComboCurlz

Thanks. Pure is what I'm interested in I know what you mean about commercial dyes. if I don't like natural-based dyes for some reason though (or other ayurvedic powders in general), I want the option to revert back to a semi-permanent pro dye (minus the peroxide), which is more gentle than other commercial dyes. According to my research, I wouldn't be able to switch back from the natural powders unless they're definitely all natural because you can destroy your hair (all in one fell swoop) from the chemical interaction. ... So I like that the online store you're pointing us toward seems to have powders that should be all natural

Sistapopdemcurl, sounds like you've really made amla work for you. About how long have you been using it?

Poema, I think we talked about henna on another thread recently. It's great that it works for you so well and doesn't relax your curl I had one bad experience with it (a migraine was made worse lol), but am still considering matching it with the amla and some indigo. Not quite sure what I want to do anymore Yeah, I hear the amla is really gritty and hard to rinse out  looks like some ppl on that old amla thread tried to remedy that problem by mixing it with coconut milk (have you?). For some it worked, for others it didn't (I think?).

MrsComboCurlz, a question about the online shop: Do you know if their ingredients are strictly organic? I keep reading that ingredients like henna and amla need to have no other additives or you can't go back to using commercial dyes (without ruining your hair). TIA

Sistapopdemcurl, sounds like you've really made amla work for you. About how long have you been using it?

Poema, I think we talked about henna on another thread recently. It's great that it works for you so well and doesn't relax your curl I had one bad experience with it (a migraine was made worse lol), but am still considering matching it with the amla and some indigo. Not quite sure what I want to do anymore Yeah, I hear the amla is really gritty and hard to rinse out  looks like some ppl on that old amla thread tried to remedy that problem by mixing it with coconut milk (have you?). For some it worked, for others it didn't (I think?).

MrsComboCurlz, a question about the online shop: Do you know if their ingredients are strictly organic? I keep reading that ingredients like henna and amla need to have no other additives or you can't go back to using commercial dyes (without ruining your hair). TIA

Originally Posted by Korkscrew

Ooh, is scent one of your migraine triggers or did it just exacerbate a migraine that was brewing from something else? Amla isn't too hard to rinse out  it's very similar to henna actually. Just rinse under the tub faucet and grab some cheap condish and go go go! lol I haven't used coconut milk in my mixes, because I like to keep them very simple. That way if I don't like what the treatment does to my hair, I have a very short list to troubleshoot.

Ooh, is scent one of your migraine triggers or did it just exacerbate a migraine that was brewing from something else? Amla isn't too hard to rinse out  it's very similar to henna actually. Just rinse under the tub faucet and grab some cheap condish and go go go! lol I haven't used coconut milk in my mixes, because I like to keep them very simple. That way if I don't like what the treatment does to my hair, I have a very short list to troubleshoot.

Originally Posted by poemaXX

You know ... I'm pretty sure I was already getting a migraine prior to applying the henna. With migraines there's just that sensitivity to smell and (wow!) the henna was so strong it was like lying directly underneath a standing cow in a field of freshly cut grass - a cow that evacuated directly onto my head. Sorry to be that gross but that's exactly and precisely the feel and smell of the situation. The weight of the henna was the other thing that exacerbated the migraine. I tried so hard to keep it in my hair for a few hours (while breathing through my mouth to avoid the henna smell). Tried really hard LOL ... So really it's just a bad memory that keeps me away from it. That plus I don't want red hair or a potentially loosened curl pattern. But I'm still considering mixing it w/amla and indigo for some other color outcome.

I like your idea of keeping it simple with the amla. When/if I try it, I'll go ahead and use condish in the way you describe Question: how similar to henna is the smell and consistency? On the amla mega-thread, some ppl complained about the smell. (Still, I can handle it as long as I don't stupidly use it while suffering a headache again.) ... I really appreciate you taking the time to answer all my questions

Ooh, is scent one of your migraine triggers or did it just exacerbate a migraine that was brewing from something else? Amla isn't too hard to rinse out  it's very similar to henna actually. Just rinse under the tub faucet and grab some cheap condish and go go go! lol I haven't used coconut milk in my mixes, because I like to keep them very simple. That way if I don't like what the treatment does to my hair, I have a very short list to troubleshoot.

Originally Posted by poemaXX

You know ... I'm pretty sure I was already getting a migraine prior to applying the henna. With migraines there's just that sensitivity to smell and (wow!) the henna was so strong it was like lying directly underneath a standing cow in a field of freshly cut grass - a cow that evacuated directly onto my head. Sorry to be that gross but that's exactly and precisely the feel and smell of the situation. The weight of the henna was the other thing that exacerbated the migraine. I tried so hard to keep it in my hair for a few hours (while breathing through my mouth to avoid the henna smell). Tried really hard LOL ... So really it's just a bad memory that keeps me away from it. That plus I don't want red hair or a potentially loosened curl pattern. But I'm still considering mixing it w/amla and indigo for some other color outcome.

I like your idea of keeping it simple with the amla. When/if I try it, I'll go ahead and use condish in the way you describe Question: how similar to henna is the smell and consistency? On the amla mega-thread, some ppl complained about the smell. (Still, I can handle it as long as I don't stupidly use it while suffering a headache again.) ... I really appreciate you taking the time to answer all my questions

Originally Posted by Korkscrew

I'd say amla has a similar consistency to henna, but you only need to keep it on your hair for 30mins, if I remember correctly. In terms of the smell, I think to me it smelled like cranberries  which makes sense since amla is acidic. I don't mind the smell of henna though, so I might not be the best judge of how smelly it is!

I was huge on amla, around 2009 (I think I was a contributor on that thread). I used it at least once a month as the main ingredient in a paste with other herbs. I stopped because other things in life took over and I didn't always have time, and I'm definitely feeling the ill effects. A lot of hair issues I suffered last year (knotting, splits, etc) only started after the amla treatments stopped. I don't know if it was just coincidence, but I am definitely making the effort to reintroduce regular amla treatments to my routine. Now I really only use it in my henna treatments to counteract curl loosening, and I only do those every 3 months or so.